


Rain

by ThatHistoryNerd



Category: Ancient History RPF, Classical Greece and Rome History & Literature RPF
Genre: Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Illnesses, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:47:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22555816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatHistoryNerd/pseuds/ThatHistoryNerd
Summary: Caesar is mourning the death of his daughter, Julia. He's also unwell. Antony isn't the best comforter, but he tries.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Rain

Early autumn in Gaul, while perhaps warmer than in Britannia or the Germanic regions, brought a chill that neither Julius Caesar nor Mark Antony, nor any Roman, really, was accustomed to. The cool weather only made Caesar miss Rome more, and it did not aid in his current state.  
He'd grown faint again and Antony had to help him back to his tent, before his men could see him collapse. It was a bad sign for their commander to have such an affliction. Antony had left command to his brother Gaius while he brought Caesar a cup of cool water. Caesar's slender body lay stripped of his armor and tunic, and his cloak, rolled up like a scroll, served as a pillow under his head. His face was pale, and sweat soaked his hair.  
"How are you feeling, sir?" Antony gave a proper salute, which Caesar flippantly dismissed with a wave of his hand.  
"Sit with me," the general ordered, but rather than his usual barking tone when making commands, this one was soft, almost pleading.  
Antony sat beside Caesar's cot, resting a calloused palm on his commander's forehead, pushing past the dark locks. "Your fever is no lower, but it isn't higher, either."  
Caesar shrugged, as if his illness was nothing. But he could not shake these episodes off as easily as he did when he was Antony's age. "I still feel dizzy when I try to sit up," he noted, reaching out a hand. Antony placed the cup in his grasp, and Caesar drank a few sips before handing it back.  
"That is because you don't drink enough water and you won't eat," Antony chided. "I know the Helvetii stand no chance against your brilliant mind, but your body won't stand the test unless you feed it."  
Caesar's eyes narrowed. "If I didn't know you better, Mark Antony, I'd think you were being smart with me."  
The edge of Antony's lip curved upward just slightly, showing the mischievous hint of a smile. "Never, sir."  
Caesar swallowed, looking down at the ever-growing pile of maps and letters by his cot. One seal stood out to him above all others - Pompey Magnus' seal. But the letter was not from Pompey. Antony wondered if he should bring it up, but he didn't have to. Caesar did.  
"The last thing Julia wrote to me was that she looked forward to introducing me to the child," he murmured, his voice so soft it was almost a whisper. "She would have been a wonderful mother, Antony. She was as gentle and heartfelt as her own mother was. Me, I never was good with that sort of thing, but she loved me anyway."  
Caesar's voice was strained toward the end of his reverie, and at first Antony thought it was simply because he was tired. But then Caesar's breath hitched, and he sniffled. Antony felt paralyzed. He was a soldier, raised with barely any parental guidance after his early childhood, roaming the streets and getting into fights and debt. He knew how to kill, he knew how to make love, and he knew how to get into trouble. He didn't know how to comfort someone in distress, especially not another man. Especially not Julius Caesar.  
"I'm sorry," he finally said, and gave him an awkward pat on the shoulder. "I know you miss her. I can't imagine what that's like."  
Caesar was quiet for a long moment. Finally, he cleared his throat, sniffling again. "Antony, it must be raining. I think there's a leak in the tent."  
Antony raised an eyebrow. Caesar was ill, but not delirious. "Sir, the sky is clear. It's not -" But then he understood, and he corrected himself. "You're right, sir. I'll have someone see to patching that up. It must be raining outside."


End file.
